Independent Agencies

Independent Agencies

1. Agency for Global Media
   • The United States Agency for Global Media works to support freedom of the press and democratic ideals around the world. It oversees six organizations, including:
     1. Radio Free Asia
   • Radio Free Asia is a nonprofit multimedia news source that provides uncensored reporting in six restrictive Asian countries.
   • Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
   • Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcasts to an audience of over 40 million with a reach spanning 23 countries. RFE/RL provides balanced reporting and uncensored local news to countries like Iran and Russia
   • Voice of America (VOA)
   • Voice of America provides objective news and represents America and American policy to a global audience.
2. AmeriCorps
   • AmeriCorps provides a variety of opportunities for volunteers to serve and strengthen their communities through areas like education, disaster relief, and aiding veterans.
3. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
   • The Central Intelligence Agency’s goal is to protect the United States through collecting and analyzing foreign intelligence and conducting covert actions at the direction of the President while also protecting the United States’ classified information.
4. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
   • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers educational resources to help people make financial decisions. It also supervises financial institutions to ensure they are transparent and treat people fairly.
5. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
   • The Environmental Protection Agency seeks to safeguard health and the environment by implementing and enforcing regulations based on Congress’ environmental laws.
6. Farm Credit Administration (FCA)
   • The Farm Credit Administration regulates the Farm Credit System to ensure agricultural workers have dependable credit.
7. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
   • The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s purpose is to maintain public trust in the United States’ financial institutions by offering a variety of securities, like insuring deposits and supervising financial institutions.
8. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)
   • The Federal Housing Finance Agency regulates the secondary mortgage market, ensuring Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks operate effectively.
9. Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA)
   • The Federal Labor Relations Authority is the agency that regulates the labor-management relations of government employees and protects the rights of government employees to organize under labor organizations.
10. General Services Administration (GSA)
    • The General Services Administration is a consolidation of several older agencies and provides supplies and workspace for government workers. According to the agency’s mission statement, it seeks “to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people.”
11. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
    • The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary federal support for America’s libraries, museums, and archives, offering these organizations assistance like grants and research.
12. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
    • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration pioneers space exploration and technology, innovating new scientific discoveries for the benefit of humanity.
13. National Archives
    • The National Archives preserves America’s governing records and historically significant documents and makes them available for general review.
14. National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
    • The National Credit Union Administration’s goal is to protect the system of credit and its member-owners through chartering, supervision, regulation, and insurance. 
15. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
    • The National Endowment for the Arts is the largest funder of the arts and art education, privately and publicly, nationwide. By supporting the arts, they create an environment where everyone can benefit from the product. 
16. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
    • The NEH supports and promotes excellence in the humanities through funding of humanities programs in the country. They provide grants to cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, and universities to further studies and research of the humanities. 
17. National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)
    • The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, also known as the AMTRAK, provides intercity rail passenger service to consumers in the United States. 
18. National Science Foundation (NSF)
    • The National Science Foundation was created by Congress to support science and engineering across the US and its territories. The goals of the NSF are to promote the progress of science, advance national health, and to secure national defense. 
19. Office of Government Ethics (OGE)
    • According to the mission statement of the OGE, The Office of Government Ethics leads and oversees the executive branch ethics program which is at work every day in more than 130 agencies. The executive branch ethics program works to prevent financial conflicts of interest to help ensure government decisions are made free from personal financial bias. 
20. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
    • The Office of Personnel Management is the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager for the Federal Government. 
21. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
    • The mission statement of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation states that the OPIC serves as the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. By providing financial products, such as loans and guaranties, political risk insurance, and support for investment funds, OPIC helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad.
22. Peace Corps
    • The Peace Corps brings together volunteers to work doing service opportunities in host communities in 60 different countries. This effort is done in attempt to promote world peace and friendship. 
23. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
    • The PBGC works to protect the retirement security and income of American workers and retirees in private sector defined benefit pension plans. 
24. Selective Service System (SSS)
    • The Selective Service System, a part of America’s National Defense Strategy, is responsible for the draft, a process that enrolls men ages 18 to 25 into a system that when authorized provides personnel is an equitable manner while managing an alternative-service program for conscientious objectors. 
25. Small Business Administration (SBA)
    • The Small Business Administration was created to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, preserve free competitive enterprise, and maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. SBA also reviews Congressional legislation and testifies on behalf of small businesses. 
26. Social Security Administration (SSA)
    • Beyond providing Social Security numbers, the Social Security Administration administers retirement, disability, survivor, and family benefits and enrolls individuals in Medicare. 
27. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
    • The TVA serves the Tennessee Valley region, working to improve lives by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable electricity, supporting a robust, award-winning economic development policy, and upholding an environmental stewardship program that has created productive waterways in the United States.
28. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
    • The Thrift Savings Plan, established by Congress in the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986, is a retirement savings and investment plan for federal government employees and uniformed services members. The TSP offers the same types of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans.
29. United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
    • The United States Agency for International Development promotes and demonstrates democratic values abroad, and advances a free, peaceful, and prosperous world, while supporting America’s foreign policy. 
30. United States Postal Service (USPS)
    • The United States Postal Service is responsible for transferring and delivering mail within the United States. A branch encompassed in the USPS is the US Postal Inspection Service. The US Postal Inspection Service enforces over 200 federal statutes related to crimes that involve the postal system, its employees, and its customers. This includes protecting the USPS and its employees, mail theft, identity fraud, and the prevention of illegal narcotics being shipped in the mail system. 
31. United States Trade and Development Agency
    • The mission of the United States Trade and Development Agency is to help companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. It does this by funding feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects that integrate U.S. private sector innovation into infrastructure projects at critical early stages when design choices and technology options are determined.